I’m having a problem with my plow that I’d like to solve BEFORE it starts snowing. A few weeks ago I noticed that that the blade wouldn’t go down on it’s own. But, if you stood on it you could get it to go the rest of the way. So, recently it stopped going up as well. We added fluid (it was quite low) and it worked for a few days (not that we’re plowing right now, but we do move the truck around in the lot to keep it out of the way). Anyways a week or so ago it was stuck about 3 inches off the ground, wouldn’t go up or down. The pump is pulley driven and the belt isn’t broken. When I push the joystick up, you can hear the pump making noise like it’s reached the very top of it’s range. It still moves side to side. The fact that it doesn’t move down tells me that something may be clogging the lines since the pump doesn’t push the plow down, gravity pulls it down. So when it was stuck 3 inches up, I lifted the front end of the truck by putting a forklift under the blade and lifting it up a few inches (BTW the front wheels didn’t come of the ground, I just lifted it a few more inches). Then I went into the truck and pushed the joystick up. As I expected, the truck went down. This seemed to free it for a while, but a day or so later it stopped again. Right now it’s all the way down, so when we move it we just drag the blade around on the lot. Any ideas? I should mention that this is one of the older style plows with the ram mounted on the front of the truck and the pump in the engine. All the controls go from the joystick to the pump by cable, so there’s nothing electrical about it. Any ideas? The next move is to take all the hoses out and check them, but with how cold it is outside I’d rather not have to do that. Also, am I safe to assume I’ll probably ruin something if I move it up and down like I did before. I suppose if there’s a clog in the line I don’t want to end up forcing it into the pump.
Refill the fluids, then let it sit for a day or two, with newspaper spread under it.
Then, check the paper for leaks.
Think about power steering-fluid, a pump, and a dual-acting cylinder, no filter, recirculating fluid. Maintain level and life is good.
Your plow isn’t terribly different, design wise. This comment attracted attention:
Cables stretch over time, so the pump may not be getting the command you think it should be seeing. Look for a maintenance manual in hardcopy or online. Lots of things start working nicely when returned to factory default values. 
Fluidis full and levels haven’t changed in about a week of a combonation of sitting and trying to get it to work. No new leaks are present.
The only reason I don’t think that’s the case is that when I try to raise the blade I can hear the pump screaching like the blade is at the very top. (Similar to the way the steering wheel in your car makes a noise when you go full left or right except louder). It’s not that it’s doing nothing when I try to raise it. Also it doesn’t lower either. Lowering doesn’t use the pump. It uses gravity and the weight of the blade to pull it down. The ram coming back down pushes fluid back into the system. That’s why I’m thinking it could be a clog. Except the system has never been open for any length of time (and I was always standing right there). I’m starting to wonder if something inside broke off and lodged itself in one of the hoses for the ram. I know the fluid is still circulating and side to side still works. My father seems to think it’s an air bubble. Could an air bubble really do that. If that’s the case it seems like it would be alot easier to bleed the system then to tear it apart looking for a clog, but I can’t see a (compressable) air bubble causing a problem like this.
I had the exact same problem last fall. In my case it was the cable. The cable end had broken inside the housing so that the cable could still push but not pull. A new cable was about $30.
Good luck.
I KNOW the cable is okay. I’ve opened the hood and watched the cable move in and out of the control box (is that what that’s called). Like I said though, when I try to raise the blade the pump makes a loud noise, just like it does when it reaches the full up position. It’s not that it does nothing when I try to raise it.
You say the blade lowers by gravity, but it doesn’t unless you stand on it. Sounds like the pivot points or other part/s are rusted, misaligned, or broken. I would check for that before dismantling things.
Good point, I’ll go spray the crap out of everything right now. It was working for a little while so I’m not sure. But I’ll go try that, it certainly can’t hurt.
:smack: Put Liquid Wrench on all parts that move when the blade goes up and down, gave them all a few smacks with a rubber mallet and we’re good to go. I should let you send me a bill Thin Ice 
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Just glad I could help, Joey.